Water Chestnut Nutrition Facts and Health Benefits

Water chestnuts are local to Southeast Asia, Southern China, Taiwan, Australia, Africa and lots of islands within side the Indian and Pacific oceans.

They are harvested whilst the corm, or bulb, turns a darkish brown color.

They have a crisp, white flesh that may be loved uncooked or cooked and are a not unusual place addition to Asian dishes which includes stir-fries, chop suey, curries and salads.

However, water chestnuts (Eleocharis dulcis) need to now no longer be careworn with water caltrops (Trapa natans), which can be additionally frequently referred to as Water caltrops are fashioned like bats or buffalo heads and flavor much like yams or potatoes.

Water chestnuts have many makes use of and are connected to numerous advantages. Here are 5 science-subsidized advantages plus thoughts for the way to consume them.

Bacon Wrapped Water Chestnuts

Carbs

A half-cup serving of canned water chestnuts has approximately nine grams of carbohydrate. The carbs are made from starch and fiber.

No research of the glycemic index of were mentioned within side the medical literature, and consequently the glycemic load can’t be calculated. However, are taken into consideration a starchy vegetable.

The water chestnut, additionally referred to as the Chinese water chestnut, is a grass-like plant local to Asian international locations like China, India, the Philippines, and Japan. The water chestnut additionally grows in Australia, tropical Africa, and a few Pacific and Indian Ocean islands.

Despite its name, the water chestnut isn’t always a nut. It’s definitely an aquatic vegetable frequently grown underwater in marshy and muddy areas.

Although the water chestnut is technically the complete plant, maximum humans confer with the small, round “corms” which can be reduce from the plant and eaten cooked or uncooked. Water chestnut corms are frequently fed to farm animals and used as mulch or compost during Asia.

Water chestnuts are famous in lots of Chinese dishes, along with stir-fry and chop suey.

Health Benefits

Water chestnuts comprise numerous antioxidants which can lessen your chance of many continual sicknesses and conditions.

Eating water chestnuts can offer different fitness blessings like:

Improved Blood Pressure

The potassium in water chestnuts can also additionally lessen your chance of stroke and excessive blood pressure, which can be each related to coronary heart disease. Studies have located that folks who devour massive quantities of potassium have a extensively decrease chance for stroke and excessive blood pressure.

Cancer Prevention

The antioxidants in water chestnuts can also additionally lessen your chance of growing a few styles of cancer. Studies display that antioxidants can extensively sluggish the increase of cancerous cells.

Weight Loss

People following a healthy diet weight-reduction plan can also additionally advantage from water chestnuts’ low-calorie content. The water chestnut is a excessive-quantity meals which can diminish starvation with out including many energy in your diet.

Digestive Health

Water chestnuts are excessive in fiber, which enables the frame digest meals extra efficiently. Fiber aids in digestion through assisting meals pass thru the massive intestine. Fiber additionally absorbs water, which softens stools and lets in them to by skip extra smoothly.

How to Use Water Chestnuts

Water chestnuts are a not unusual place delicacy in Asian international locations. They are noticeably flexible and may be loved uncooked, boiled, fried, grilled, pickled or candied.

For example, Are frequently peeled and both diced, sliced or grated into dishes along with stir-fries, omelets, chop suey, curries and salads, amongst others.

They also can be loved sparkling after washing and peeling, as they have got a crispy, sweet, apple-like flesh. Interestingly, the flesh keeps to live crisp even after boiling or frying.

Some humans pick to apply dried and floor water chestnut as a flour alternative. This is due to the fact water chestnuts are excessive in starch, which makes them a first rate thickener.

How to Prepare

Before eating, uncooked want to be peeled and the pinnacle sliced off. Canned which can be extra generally available, need to be rinsed to remove a number of the sodium normally brought in processing, however are in any other case prepared to devour proper out of the can.

Chop into bite-sized portions and toss onto a salad or blend right into a curry or stir-fry. They make an extremely good addition to Asian-stimulated dishes like our Asian sesame coleslaw with teriyaki hen recipe. Even after cooking, keep their crunch, which provides texture in your dish.